Open Forum

Of course, the most interesting part of any meeting are the public comments.   Often the comments can be a mixed bag, some people are very clear in what they want the body they are standing before to do, others tend to waffle a little bit leaving any observer to wonder what they were trying to say.   Personally, I like it when young people participate in the public process, it is always fascinating to see what they will say and how they will say it.   At the school board meeting, it was no different, by far the most compelling statements, for me, were those made by those who would be most directly impacted by the granting of the charter.   Surprisingly there was only one student from ACLC that spoke in favor of the charter petition, I would have figured that they would have been out en masse to say how great their program was and how we should all support “choice.”

Right now, I’m relying on my — often times faulty – memory to recount some of the more eyebrow raising, or inspirational public speakers from Tuesday night’s School Board meeting.   In no particular order but the ones that arise to mind quickly:

1. Mr. former-Arthur-Andersen-partner, discussed a little bit by Sylvia K. in another thread.   He came out, mentioned something about having flown out to Alameda for this particular purpose.   Was the one who used well-placed lawyerese to try and intimidate the School Board into approving the charter.  He implied that the charter application process was a more organic one and that since the school district had made suggestions on the deficiencies of the application, they should be given “due process” and allowed to amend their application.   Here’s another lawyerly term for Mr. former-Arthur-Andersen-partner, “one bite of the apple” you get one chance to present your side, your “case” so to speak and there is no do over for this round.   Of course, unlike a criminal prosecution, the Charter School can keep coming back and back and back and back until they get it “right,” sort of like Groundhog Day, but without the comic stylings of Bill Murray.

   Mr. former-Arthur-Andersen-partner was also the one to say that sometimes sacrifices have to be made for the “greater good.”   That even though this may affect thousands upon thousands of other students that was okay because it was in the interest of the “greater good.”   He then likened it to the gravesites of the soldiers — I forget which war he was referring to — who sacrificed themselves for the greater good.   Of course, generally — or at least I had always assumed this — the “greater good” was generally the larger proportion of people.    In this case the “greater good” would be the larger AUSD population and not the two or three hundred some odd kids that would benefit from the Charter School, but for Mr. former-Arthur-Andersen-partner, the “greater good” was the smaller of the two populations.    I’m not sure if he was saying that those that end up “selected” through the “lottery” by ACLC are better or more worthy that everyone else, but it sure as heck sounded like it.

2. Mr. ACLC-facilitator-who-teaches-everything-but-woodshop (aka “JoAT”).   This guy puzzled me when he first came to speak, first he started out by listing every single course he teaches…oh, I’m sorry, “facilitates” at ACLC.   They included a multitude of history courses ranging from courses taken by 12th graders (American Government) all the way to 6th graders.   But wait there’s more.   He’s also the PE facilitator.  But wait there’s more.   He’s also the technology guy there.  So the first thing that came to my mind when I was watching him speak after he recited his resume before the school board is this:  If I really wanted one person to teach my child every skill I would send her to the one room school with Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe, and Jack Richard.  
3. Encinal High School Leadership students.  Wearing nifty white shirts with the words “Leadership” emblazoned on the front, they came out with a solid presentation and showed the faces of the kids that would be affected by the granting of the Charter School application.  Articulate and eloquent, these are the “sacrifices” that are acceptable for the “greater good.”   They talked about the programs that were up on the chopping block last year and would probably be up on the chopping block if the Charter was approved.
4. Alameda High School student.   A young man, a newish immigrant to the country talked about how he found a community to belong to at Alameda High School.    He talked about how the struggling school district has already made an impact on his learning and that some school books had to be returned quickly because they needed to be shared between Alameda and Encinal High Schools.   Board member Gibson remarked later that after hearing this young man speak that she had never considered that someone could find a “home” at a school as large as Alameda High, but indeed he did.